True enough and point taken. I've never been much for goin with the flow when it bucks who I am. Maybe that's why my family and friends nicknamed me Rebel when I was 7. I guess it stuck.

Excellent point and well spoken.

Why is it that simple logic evades the folks who listen to the news and get their information from the hysteria that get's promulgated by it? Even a cursory overview of history will prove that taking guns away from honest law abiding people increases crime exponentially.

Of course when it comes to politics and ideology common sense isn't an issue. It's an affliction. Neither is honesty, it's a miracle.

Rant: I believe stereotypes are indicative of the human condition in our culture and are usually proliferated by uninformed or misinformed people. I don't fit into any boxes and I don't try to put other people in them.

Case in point; If my shirtless pic's offend you, that's your predisposition, not my choice. Seems like narrow minded thinking often accompanies a lofty opinion of one's ability to judge character based on little or no information. Maybe the individual judging is not as perceptive as they're inclined to think. Maybe the arrogance perceived is closer to home than they realize. I only mention this because I see negative remarks on many profiles about other people's pictures.

Should my backwoods tendencies offend to ya, you can look the other way...or kiss my rebel ***. I mean that in the nicest possible way. Choosing to judge a person based upon a stereotypical ideal or preconceived notion we embrace only imposes limitations on the quality of our own life experience. If you think you know me because you saw a few pictures, think again. End of rant.

Final thought; Creative and passionate people are often found disagreeable and/or intimidating by mediocrities.

Are there any writers perusing these blogs? Any poets reading these words for inspiration or maybe just to satiate the lust that burns for artistic expression?

Well, I don't consider myself either of those. I've just come to appreciate the pure release that comes from penning my thoughts, when passion outshines my ability to contain. No other means of release dares approach that place where raw emotion rages against reason. I wrote the following in late June of this year. It represents that release. Tell me if you feel me.

"BENEATH"
MY BABY’S FLYING BACK INTO MY ARMS ON A SILVER BIRD
SHE’S STEPPING OFF THOSE WINGS AND GETTING INTO MY RIDE.
IT’S GONNA BE SO FINE TO HAVE HER CLOSE ENOUGH TO TOUCH.
I THINK I TASTE HER NOW, HER SWEETNESS FILLING UP MY HEAD
AND RUNNING THROUGH MY VEINS…NOTHING ELSE IS LIKE HER LOVE.
IT’S GOT ME JACKED UP ALMOST CLEAN OUT OF MY MIND BUT I KNOW
I’LL TOUCH DOWN AS SOON AS I’M BACK ON TOP AND DEEP INSIDE
OF ALL THAT MAKES HER BEAUTIFUL…SHE’S GOT A GRIP AND I DON’T
WANNA BREAK OUT OF IT…UNTIL IVE GOT HER TANGLED UP IN ME
AND I HEAR MY NAME ON HER LIPS..ITS DRIPPING OFF HER TONGUE
INTO MY MIND…I WANNA WRING IT OUT UNTIL IT GRINDS INTO THE
CORE OF ALL SHES DOING TO ME NOW. I'M DOING IT RIGHT BACK. I FEEL
HER BREATHING HARD AGAINST MY NECK…I HOLD IT STEADY ROCKIN
HEAVY SLOW AND HARD ITS LIKE A SYMPHONY POUNDING DEEP AND
MORE OUT OF CONTROL...I SEE IT BUILDING DEEP, THE LOOK IN HER
EYES ITS BLAZING UP INSIDE HER SOUL LIKE POETRY HER PERFECT BODY
LANGUAGE GETTING LOUDER SWEET AND DESPERATE…HER RHYTHM
FRANTIC UNDERNEATH ME…I'M RUNNING DOWN HER SPINE AND
BACK INSIDE SO DEEP LIKE ULTRA¬SONIC THROUGH HER....
WASHING INTO ME THEN SPILLING OUT OF US LIKE MUSIC THAT’S
BEEN SET ON FIRE…RAGING TO THE DEPTH OF OUR DESIRE THEN
CASCADING OVER US LIKE THE EMOTION WE POURED OUT ONTO
THE TWISTED SHEETS BENEATH THE LOVE WE MADE.

Leaving one's comfort zone would likely not involve stepping outside the parameters of what is deemed desirable.

I disagree, respectfully. If a person doesn't know their own mind, desires, values etc. the chances of engaging with a compatible mate are diminished.

If you're a sweet as you are nice to look at, you should have a lot of trouble...responding to requests for your attention.

Slipknot Rocks!

Yep. These Iowa judges decided that they would make same sex marriage legal in Iowa and grant all the rights that go along with marriage to same sex couples. This they did inspite of the state's constitution and the clearly defined criteria in it regarding marriage.
Good riddens judges!

The signs could be many. The most important indication is the intangible indication that only you, as a woman can register.
I firmly believe that every healthy woman knows when she is not being respected and when there is infidelity in her relationship. Go with your gut. Ask him honestly and respectfully if he is seeing or interested in another woman. If he's worth his salt he will tell you the truth. If you're not comfortable with his response, then you have your answer.

I see nothing wrong with it. It's not traditional, but since when is tradition the benchmark?

It was great to see the people of Iowa stand up and unseat the three activist supreme court justices who thought they could get away with legislating from the bench! We need more of that in the rest of the states in our union. Go Iowa!

They damn well better! The reason the tea party exists is not because the democrats aren't doing their job. It's because the conservatives haven't been doing theirs!
GO TEA PARTY!

A married Irishman went into the confessional and said to his priest, "I almost had an affair with another woman."

The priest said, "What do you mean, almost?"

The Irishman said, "Well, we got undressed and rubbed together, but then I stopped."

The priest said, "Rubbing together is the same as putting it in. You're not to see that woman again. For your penance, say five Hail Mary's and put $50 in the poor box."

The Irishman left the confessional, said his prayers, and then walked over to the poor box. He paused for a moment and then started to leave.

The priest, who was watching, quickly ran over to him saying, "I saw that. You didn't put any money in the poor box!"

The Irishman replied, "Yeah, but I rubbed the $50 on the box, and according to you, that's the same as putting it in."

A man scanned the guests at a party and spotted an attractive woman standing alone.

He approached her and asked her name.
"My name is Carmen," she told him.

"That's a beautiful name," he said. "Is it a family name?"

"No," she replied. "I gave it to myself. It reflects the things I likemost - cars and men."

"What's your name?" she asked.

"Beerfukc," he said

My preferences have been the same as long as I can recall having preferences.

If you were bit by a brown recluse ya need to RUN to the doctor. The venom from that spider does irreversible damage to tissue.

Ya mean we're NOT supposed to redistribute the wealth?

After I scolded him for his apparent slam on the tea party and he remarked that I don't know him. I figured his intent was not to criticize. Hell, I don't know. Maybe I should shut up.

I'm sorry. I guess I misunderstood your intent. I don't mean to be unkind, but this is not the joke thread. I post there frequently....actually I have a couple joke threads kickin' right now.